Glass, glass/film systems, glass/polymer systems and other materials that have surface flaws that are either an artifact of the manufacturing process or caused by external forces can undergo premature failure because the flaws lead to cracking and because these materials possess resistance to fracture. Such materials include glass, light bulbs, cement, ceramics, fingernail and toenails, paints, transparent polymers and other polymers.
Current methods for strengthening glass include the following: (1) changing the composition of the glass, (2) changing the manufacturing process for glass, (3) making the glass thinner, (4) using mechanical, chemical or laser etching methods to polish the glass, or (5) putting a coating on the glass. These methods tend to be expensive.
The compositions claimed by the embodiments of this invention have the property of finding heterogeneous sites on the surface and edges of the material substrates and healing the flaws through localized self-assembly of the nanoparticles working with the ingredients in the compositions. The novel approaches disclosed and claimed also achieve other, multifunctional outcomes.
This invention is a continuation-in-part of PCT Application Serial No. PCT/IB2014/065690, “Improved Materials, Treatment Compositions, and Material Laminates, with Carbon Nanotubes” and unlocks the science of strengthening materials, including but not limited to glass, without the need for a continuous coating, and creating strengthened laminates.